CH 24

When Bianca came out of the store with a beautiful sack, Luka had already left.

“Did you buy everything?”

Alyona came out from the bakery next door and came up to her with a bag full of bread.

“Yes.”

“Give it to me.”

Alyona took the sack from Bianca’s hand and handed it to the duke’s attendants next to her.

“Who are you looking for?”

Alyona asked, looking at her master, who was still pacing with her neck stretched out.

“No, nothing.”

Bianca said in a flat voice.

She had hurried out because she wanted to say hello one more time if the man was still on the street.

She had taken a liking to him in that short time.

Partly because he was uncommonly handsome, but also because he looked vaguely familiar.

“He looks familiar.”

“What? Like who?”

“I saw someone who looked like my first love.”

“Oh!”

Alyona exclaimed, clapping her hands.

If it was Bianca’s first love, she knew it well, as the little princess had gossiped with her when she was younger.

“Your first love, was it him?”

“Yes, him, but no. The one I met a little while ago is a commoner.”

“Don’t be sad, I’m sure you’ll find him again.”

“I’ve been looking for him for over a decade now, and he never showed up.”

Bianca sighed heavily.

In fact, she had turned down countless proposals from men in the past because of the hope that one day she might be reunited with her first love.

“So far, you’ve only been looking in the South, and I have few clues, since I don’t know his name and my memory has faded as I’ve grown.”

Of course, they had sent people to the north to look, but there were limits to what they could do without seeing him in persom.

Bianca, like her mother who went before her, was weak from a young age, and the long journey to the north was not possible.

So she had never been to the north before.

“Now that you’re much healthier, and I’m sure the Duke will allow it. Why don’t we all go to the North together during this year’s social season?”

“Is that so?”

After a brief moment of amusement at Alyona’s flirtatious suggestion, Bianca returned to her full face.

“What if he’s already married?”

“If he and the princess were truly meant to be, he’s still be single.”

“How come you always say such nice things about him?”

“I’ve only been the ladies’ maid for a few years. I’ve been by the side of the Duchess since her unmarried days and have followed her all the way here.”

After Duchess Smirnov’s death, she did not return to her own household, but remained with the two young princesses.

She had been their nanny when they were young, and now she was their ladies’ maid as they grew into young women.

“When sister and I gets married, who will you follow then?”

The playful question made Alyona glance around and whisper, just loud enough for her to hear.

“Princess Katarina, of course.”

“I feel hurt! But why are you whispering it here? I’m the one who got dumped by Alyona?”

“I suppose it’s because I can’t help but worry about Princess Katarina’s well-being. While the Princess excels wherever she goes, I always find myself concerned about Princess Katarina.”

“She’s a grown woman now, what are you worried about?”

“Perhaps it’s because I’m afraid she might lose her temper during a marital argument and resort to physical violence. Is she only good with a sword? Or with her fists? Or with a gun? Oh dear…”

Alyona shuddered at the thought.

She was already worried that Katya would lose her temper and turn the whole world upside down if she were to get in trouble.

It would be a disgrace to the House of Smirnov, and she would be tried for disobedience to her husband.

It was not against the law for a husband to hit his wife, but it was considered a sin for a wife to hit her husband.

“She said she wouldn’t marry, but if she did, wouldn’t the man she chose be a good man who wouldn’t make her angry? She’s not the kind of person who gets angry for no reason.”

“I guess. That’s true.”

Alyona nodded, as if Bianca had a point.

As they stood there waiting for the carriage, the door to the perfume shop opened behind them, and the perfumer came running out.

“Princess, I see you haven’t left yet?”

“What’s the matter?”

“The perfume you sold to a customer earlier.”

“Oh, that. I put the money on the counter like you said.”

“That’s right…….”

The perfumer scratched the back of his head, looking puzzled.

“I think you sold him something else.”

In his hand was the perfume Bianca had found for Luka earlier.

“Oh, why is this here? I distinctly remember packaging it and placing it in the box…”

“It seems like a mistake happened, and instead of the perfume, it ended up on the checkout counter. Even though it was supposed to be put in the box.”

Bianca’s hands trembled at the thought of her first love, so she picked up a different perfume, wrapped it up, and placed it in Luka’s hands.

“The items left on the checkout counter were inexpensive products that customers could take without payment, so that customer probably suffered a significant loss.”

The perfumer showed her the change he had received.

It was almost the same amount as what Luka had paid.

Bianca had charged him the price of the most expensive perfume in the store but had put in a cheap perfume instead.

“What can I do……. I’ve ruined the store’s reputation.”

“That’s okay, if the customer comes over here, you can just tell her there was a mistake and give him the perfume back. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case he runs into you on the way and complains to the Princess unnecessarily.”

“Thanks for letting me know. If I run into him again on the way, I’ll make sure I explain it properly.”

After dismissing the perfumer, Bianca slapped her cheeks with both hands.

“I’ve lost my mind. Where have I been keeping my mind?”

“Across the street, Princess, across the street!”

Alyona suddenly grabbed the hand of the princess who was standing there blaming herself and urgently whispered in a hushed voice.”

When Bianca did as she was told and cast her gaze across the street, she saw Gregory waving at her, his shiny bald head glistening.

He was the man who, despite having feelings for Bianca, came to propose to Katya, only to be shot down with a crossbow, leading him to return and send a marriage proposal letter to Bianca.

He wrote to her asking to meet, but she always had some other excuse to avoid him.

Next to her was Ollen, another of her suitors, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Did they know each other? What was his name?”

“Ollen Menshkov. He’s the youngest son of the Marquis of Menshkov. The princess has an appointment with him this afternoon, but Count Gregory…….”

“I thought I told you to write back that I couldn’t meet him because I was sick?”

Bianca said, rolling her eyes.

Gregory, who met Ollen by chance on the street, heard him say he was going to meet Bianca, and was arguing about not lying.

But when he spotted her across the street, he decided to go to her door and tell her the truth.

“Lady Bianca!”

“We will go there!”

Bianca smiled broadly as they jostled for position to cross the street, and the Duke’s carriage pulled up in front of her.

“Shouldn’t we just get on this and leave now?”

“You’ve already made eye contact. Plus, won’t they just follow you to the duchy?”

“Won’t my sister chase him away with her crossbow this time?”

“Are you suggesting we create another trouble in the peaceful home?”

“Ah, Ollen, I should have just said no to him, too, if only Marquis Menshkov and my father weren’t academy classmates…….”

Bianca muttered under her breath.

Just then, two suitors crossed the street.

“Oh, hello? Is everyone doing well?”

“Yes, indeed. How have you been all this time?”

“Well, I was actually planning to buy this flower and go to the Duke, but here we are meeting again. It seems like we we’re meant to be.”

Gregory’s eyes widened at Ollen’s words, and he looked back at Bianca with a smirk.

“No, I was just about to scold him for coming to visit you at the Duke’s, unannounced.”

“How many times have I told you that I have a definite appointment with Lady Bianca—”

“What is it with a man’s pride, lying even to her own face. Lady Bianca, are you well?”

“Yes. Thanks for your concern, but I’m still a little dizzy, ah—”

Bianca put a hand to her forehead and swayed to the side as if she were feeling dizzy.

Alyona rushed to her aid, ahead of the two men who were approaching in alarm.

“Lady, didn’t the doctor advise you not to go out when you’re feeling dizzy after just a little bit of sunlight? They specifically instructed you to stay in bed for the time being, yet you ‘forced’ yourself to make an appointment, insisting on pushing yourself.”

“How can I do that to the people who come to see me?”

Bianca turned to the suitors with a pitying look in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I should have replied to the Count as well, telling you to come back today, but my mind was in such a state…”

“Oh, no, it’s hard enough for you to meet this guy, how can I add to that?”

Gregory replied, secretly blaming Ollen.

Ollen, who had suddenly become a clueless human being asking a sick woman to see him, blushed bright red and bowed his head.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were this sick……. I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel today’s appointment.”

“How could I, when you’ve come all the way here. It’s only a short walk to my place, so come with me.”

“Oh, my lady, you must rest as soon as we get to home, what do you mean? I’m sure Mr. Ollen will understand!”

“Of course! Go ahead. We can make another appointment later.”

With an apologetic look on her face, Bianca climbed into the duke’s carriage, escorted by Ollen.

Though overshadowed by her sister’s fame, Bianca Smirnov was actually a rather formidable woman.

The notion that her quiet, demure nature would make her dutiful and obedient was a Southern male fantasy.

As he was climbing aboard, Gregory suddenly asked her a question.

“Why has Lady Bianca come all the way here when she can barely contain her own body properly?”